The present invention generally relates to a device, method and system for industrial processing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device, method and system for monitoring corrosive industrial processes.
It is, of course, generally known that various industrial processes produce corrosive by-products. Such corrosive by-products frequently corrode industrial equipment, increase production costs, and create production delays. Thus, corrosion monitoring is a valuable tool which can alleviate such process upsets.
At present, typically on-line corrosion monitoring equipment for industrial processing is relatively expensive and cumbersome to use. Such corrosion monitoring devices frequently contain large and complicated monitoring components which are not portable and must be placed in a permanent fixed position in relation to the industrial process being monitored. Moreover, because such equipment is large, complicated and cumbersome, it may be difficult to set up and operate in an efficient manner by either skilled or unskilled personnel.
It is generally known that currently available corrosion monitoring devices are capable of storing data for later downloading to other computerized devices. However, such corrosion devices often lack the ability to provide real-time corrosion monitoring or the capability to communicate with more portable computerized devices such as laptop or handheld computers.
Another problem sometimes encountered with currently available corrosion monitoring devices is that such devices are not disposable. Although some corrosion monitoring devices offer replaceable components, many function improperly and are often very expensive.
The disposability problem can be further exacerbated because many currently available monitoring devices do not offer waterproof or weatherproof enclosures. Thus, moisture and exposure to other environmental elements harms many of the internal components of such devices. Thus, the life span, functional consistency and monitoring reliability of at least some currently available corrosion monitoring devices can be significantly reduced. Such detrimental environmental effects can also significantly increase the operation and maintenance costs of those devices as well.
A still further problem encountered with at least some prior art corrosion monitoring devices is the substantial number of inaccurate readings. In most instances, the inaccuracy occurs because the monitoring device is incapable of identifying the type of metallurgical material utilized by the device to determine corrosion rate.
For example, within most corrosion monitoring devices, an electrode probe having a specific metallurgy is used to determine corrosion rate of an industrial process. The corrosion rate is determined based upon the corrosivity of the industrial process upon the specific type of metallic probe electrode used. If the metallurgy of the probe changes or cannot be determined by the monitoring device, frequent and substantial inaccurate readings result which must later be accounted for and corrected. To correct such misreadings, additional operating costs are incurred.
Improved device, method and system for monitoring industrial processes would therefore be desirable.
The present invention relates to an improved device, method and system for monitoring an industrial process. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved device, method and system for monitoring industrial corrosive cooling water treatment processes.
To this end, the present invention provides a device comprising a controller module; a probe module which operably communicates with the controller module; and a resistor module which operably communicates with the controller module, wherein the resistor module is capable of identifying the probe module to the controller module.
The present invention also provides a corrosion monitoring system comprising a controller module; a probe module having at least one metallurgical probe electrode which operably communicates with the controller module; and a resistor module having a resistance value which operably communicates with the controller module, wherein the resistance value identifies the metallurgy of the probe electrode to the controller module.
Additionally, the present invention also provides a method of determining corrosion rate comprising the steps of providing a corrosion monitoring device comprising a controller module; a probe module which operably communicates with the controller module; and a resistor module which operably communicates with the controller module; placing the probe module within a solution; charging the probe module and resistor module with a current via the controller module; identifying the type of probe module by the controller module based upon the resistance value of the charged resistor module; and determining the rate of corrosion by the controller module after the probe module has been identified.
Moreover, the present invention further provides a probe device comprising an electrode and a resistor having a resistance value which identifies the electrode.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.